Hydroplane



March 22, 1955 5, HULETT 2,704,529

HYDROPLANE Filed April 20, 1953 11 I A? 11mm 4 INVENTOR.

HTTORNEY United States Patent HYDROPLANE Schuyler C. Hulett, Sandpoint,Idaho Application April 20, 1953, Serial No. 349,646

2 Claims. (Cl. 114-66.5)

This invention lies in the general class of boats and water vehicles andrelates more particularly to a hydrolane.

p One object of the invention lies in the provision of a hydroplanewhich is built and adapted to carry a considerable load without drawingtoo deeply and yet one which, upon reaching a predetermined speed, willpresent a very small surface to the water and permit its movement athigh speeds.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a hydroplanehaving hermetically sealed pontoons for providing buoyancy to the craft,and hydroplane skis to support the craft while planing upon the surfaceof the water at high speeds.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a hydroplane soconstructed and arranged to suitably brace the craft for support alongits marginal edge portions, using the bottom of the cabin and the seatsfor bracing struts between the spaced pontoons.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a hydroplanehaving a wide beam and one which is very stable on turbulent or quietwaters.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a hydroplanehaving means for automatically draining any water shipped into the cabinarea.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved hydrolane" p Figure 2 is afragmentary longitudinal vertical cross section taken through one of thepontoons;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross section through the craft;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical cross section throughone of the draining ports;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the rear portion of the craft; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal cross section of therear portion of the craft.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, I have indicated thecraft embodying my present invention by the numeral 10. The craft isdisclosed as having spaced, hermetically sealed cigar-shaped pontoons 11which are disposed in parallel relation to each other and are held inthis position by means of a cabin, indicated in general by the numeral12. Extending longitudinally, midway the width of each pontoon 11 anddisposed in a vertical plane, is a depending web 13 which widens ordeepens progressively toward the rear end thereof and merges with thepontoons at the forward end. Each web 13 supports a hydro-ski 14 whichis disposed in substantially a horizontal plane along the bottom edge ofthe web 13. Each ski 14 is secured to the web 13 at a point midway thewidth of the ski 14 and the transverse configuration of the ski is anobtuse angle sufliciently angled to steady the craft as it skis orplanes upon the surface of the water and flat enough to provide thenecessary The cabin 12 uniting the pontoons is provided with adownwardly arcuate bottom 15 and upwardly converging sidewalls 16;spaced upwardly from the bottom 15, are horizontally disposedtransversely extending seats or struts 17 spaced from each otherlongitudinally of the craft. As the weight of the craft, supported bythe pontoons or skis, tends to cause the pontoons to rotate inwardly,the seats 17 act as supporting struts and form a rigid bodytherebetween.

Each pontoon is internally strengthened by means of bulkheads 18,defining hermetically sealed compartments within the pontoons. Thesebulkheads assist in supporting the cabin as well as strengthening thepontoons, permitting the use of a lighter gage metal for the skin of thepontoons. Also, in the event a pontoon is punctured on a rock or otherobstruction, the water entering through the puncture will be confined tothe single compartment.

To provide adequate footing and a level floor, I have inserted aremovable, perforated false floor 19, supported at its longitudinal sideedges upon the bottom 15. In the event that water should be shipped orrain should fall into the cabin area, the water will pass through theperforations of the false floor 19 onto the arcuate bottom 15, andthence drain out the rearwardly opening elbows 20 into the water.Normally, the buoyancy of the pontoons will maintain the bottom 15 abovethe surface of the water and, with the elbows opening rearwardly,forward movement of the boat will prevent any splashing water fromentering into the boat from the drain elbows 20.

Secured to the removable false floor 19 is a motor mount bracket 21 uponwhich it is contemplated securing an outboard motor 22 for driving theboat. The bracket 21 extends outwardly of the boat through a cutawayportion 23 of the transom 24.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A hydroplane comprising spaced hermetically sealed cigar-shaped,compartmented pontoons; a cabin for occupancy by one or more persons,uniting said pontoons in spaced parallel relation, whereby the cabin issupported upon said pontoons; each said pontoon having a longitudinallyextending hydro-ski merging with the pontoon at its forward end abovethe normal water line and progressively diverging from the pontoontoward its rear end; a longitudinally extending web, disposed in avertical plane, secured to each said ski and its companion pontoonintermediate their widths and supporting said ski; each said ski havingin transverse cross-section a slight obtuse angle configuration; andmeans for propelling the hydroplane.

2. A hydroplane comprising spaced hermetically sealed cigar-shapedpontoons; weight-supporting partitions forming compartments in thepontoons and hermetically sealed one from another; a cabin uniting saidpontoons in spaced parallel relation; transverse seats in the cabinforming struts spaced above the bottom of the cabin; longitudinallyextending webs disposed in vertical planes secured to said pontoonsintermediate their horizontal widths and depending therefrom; skishaving obtuse angle transverse configurations carried by the web andhaving their apices disposed downwardly; said skis merging with theirrespective pontoons at the forward ends and diverging therefromrearwardly; and means associated with said cabin for mounting apropelling motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

